It is known to use a process controller, such as a proportional-integral (PI) controller, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller or a fuzzy logic controller (FLC), to control a process so as to keep a process variable equivalent to a desired set point value. Such process controllers typically use a set of control parameters such as controller gain, controller integral time (called reset) and derivative time (called rate) which have been developed in a desired manner to control the process variable. As the process operates, however, it is typically useful and sometimes necessary to adapt the control parameters to adjust for changes in the process or set points, or to optimize the controller based upon observed operational parameters.
A model free adaptive process controller utilizes a typical closed-loop controller response to adapt and respond to set point changes or load disturbances. In one example of a model free adaptive process controller, the system measures the period of oscillation and detects the actual damping and overshoot of the error signal. If there are no oscillations in the error signal, the proportional gain control parameter is increased and the integral and derivative time control parameters are decreased. If oscillation in the error signal is detected, the damping and the overshoot of the oscillation is measured and the gain, controller integral time, and derivative time control parameters are adjusted accordingly.
While this example of a model free adaptive approach is simple, it has demonstrated some deficiencies. Specifically, this approach is only applicable when the control response is oscillatory. If the control response is not oscillatory, the control parameters or set point must be changed to induce oscillation and force adaptation. As a result, the adaptation requires more than one set point change to tune an overdamped controller and, furthermore, the controller is limited in that it is tuned for an oscillatory response with a relatively small margin of safety.
Recognizing that model free adaptive controllers have the potential of performing fewer calculations and requiring simpler algorithms than typical model-based adaptative controllers, there have been some attempts to overcome the above recognized deficiencies using model free adaptive controllers. For example, Mar{hacek over (s)}ik, J. and Strejc, V., “Application of Identification-Free Algorithms for Adaptive Control,” Automatica, vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 273-277, 1989, discloses an exemplary model free adaptive PID controller. In this article, Mar{hacek over (s)}ik and Strejc recognized that, in a properly tuned controller, the mean absolute values of all the controller proportional, integral, and derivative terms constituting the controller change of output are roughly equal. As a result, this article describes an adaptive routine that tunes a process controller by forcing the control parameters to values that cause the mean absolute values of all of the individual proportional, integral, or derivative terms to be equal.
Unfortunately, the model-free adaptation controller proposed by Mar{hacek over (s)}ik and Strejc demonstrates poor convergence, sometimes passes through regions of instability, and does not appear to be valid for most process control problems. Furthermore, the adaptive routine proposed by Mar{hacek over (s)}ik and Strejc does not suggest applicability to non-linear controllers, such as fuzzy logic controllers.
Specifically, despite a number of publications in the recent decade illustrating advantages of fuzzy logic controllers, the proliferation of these controllers into the industry has been very slight. One reason for the relatively low incidence of the use of fuzzy logic controllers is the difficulty in tuning them. While a significant effort has been concentrated on tuning simple fuzzy logic controllers, wherein the controller defines two or three membership functions on the input and a similar amount of membership functions on the output, there has been no suggestion of applying model free adaptation approaches to fuzzy logic controllers.